


save our last goodbye.

by acribia



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: A LOT of Angst, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anger, Angst, Book 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Canon Divergence Goblet of Fire, Death Sentence, Death penalty, Emotional Manipulation, M/M, POV Regulus Black, Potions Master Regulus Black, Regulus Black Lives, basically boyfriends that argue over who's the traitor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-13 14:35:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28655073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/acribia/pseuds/acribia
Summary: Regulus should have known better; something about Alastor Moody had been bothering him throughout the whole year and yet instead of investigating further, he had decided to rely on Dumbledore’s judgement and pushed all of his concerns in the back of his mind.(That scene in The Goblet of Fire where Barty Crouch Jr get caught but with Regulus Black instead of Severus Snape - CANON DIVERGENCE).
Relationships: Regulus Black/Bartemius Crouch Jr.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 49





	save our last goodbye.

**Author's Note:**

> Well I pretty much said everything in the summary so just enjoy.  
> If you want I have a whole fic on how Regulus survived the cave and became the potion master, do whatever you want with this information. So once again: enjoy!

Regulus should have known better; something about Alastor Moody had been bothering him throughout the whole year and yet instead of investigating further, he had decided to rely on Dumbledore’s judgement and pushed all of his concerns in the back of his mind.

He had trusted the headmaster even when his skin began to burn and his guts tingled. However time had proven the old wizard wrong and despite him being the only sorcerer that Voldemort feared, Dumbledore still was easily deceivable and apparently, all it took was great skills at brewing potions and a decent impersonating act.

«Barty Crouch Junior» 

Regulus heard Dumbledore’s voice echo somewhere in the room but he couldn’t quite grasp anything that was going on around him as his mind dozed off at the sight of Barty sat in front of him with Moody’s baggy clothes on and an empty flask of Polyjuice Potion at his feet. The whole situation was extremely unsettling; Regulus thought that Barty was dead - alone and in Azkaban - however it was now clear that the young Black wasn’t the only one to have put on the act of a fake death. Moreover Regulus was barely seventeen when he last saw his lifelong friend and that certainly wasn’t the reunion he was longing for.

«I’ll show you mine if you show me yours» 

Barty’s voice cut thought the noise like a sharp knife; husky and agitated tones flew directly to Harry who was shielding himself behind Regulus.

«Your arm, Harry» 

Dumbledore pushed the boy toward Barty to show him his bare arm; a deep cut ripped the skin open and stained it in bright, vibrant red.

«He’s coming back, the Dark Lord is coming back» 

A mad man, _that_ was what Barty had become.

Regulus’ heart skipped a bit. For the first time in years, the thought of Barty not being himself anymore occurred to him. Once he had known a boy with whom he used to spend his summer; a boy that was never dull but now, _now_ he was meeting someone completely twisted by the darkness; a man turned crazy by the mere taste of power.

When Regulus forced his eyes back on this new and unknown man, Barty reciprocated his gaze for a brief moment. Dilated pupils met two dark voids and like many years before, indigo stones melted in the heat of pitch black flames. Pure rage bursted trough Regulus’ body and suddenly he was filled with anger towards Barty and towards everything that had happened to them during the war. They were just kids when they found themselves thrown in the midst of a fucking slaughterhouse.

«I will send a letter to Azkaban and to the Ministry, it seems like one of their prisoner isn’t dead after all. Minerva take Harry back to his dorm and Regulus can I trust you with Crouch here?»

Regulus’ insides twisted painfully, after years of working with Dumbledore - _for_ Dumbledore - and devoting himself to Hogwarts, he still was the one not to trust. Apparently the fact that he almost died to rescue an horcrux, was irrelevant in the Order’s eyes.

«Of course you can, headmaster» 

«Very well»

Barty waited until the room was empty to speak again.

«Hello, Reggie» 

Regulus grimaced and tightened the grip on his wand.

«Don’t call me that, you’re not my friend» 

The other man laughed, it was a devilish sound that rumbled at the back of his throat. Regulus swallowed hard, he remembered a different chuckle; a foreign trill that got lost somewhere in the past.

«No, I’m not. I never was, was I?» 

Barty grabbed Regulus from the sleeve of his robe and pulled him closer. The young Black stumbled on his feet - his wand slipped from his hand - but he didn’t backed away. He should have, he knew he should have, every inch of his body was suggesting him to run or to do something _\- anything -_ other than falling for his stupid little games again.

«I know yours is showing again too» 

Barty stroked Regulus’ forearm, pressing on the veins and leaving goosebumps wherever his thumb touched.

«Stop it»

«Make me» 

Barty grip tightened which made Regulus gasp despite himself. It wasn’t tender nor playful, it was a firm and painful clutch meant to leave a mark.

«You’re a traitor Reggie, did you really think I didn’t know that?» 

Regulus tried to free himself with a harsh tug but Barty’s free hand reached his waist and held him in place.

«I know what you did to my Lord» 

«You’re fucking crazy»

Regulus tried to shove the other man to regain some sort of space between them but it all ended up in them tumbling on each other. Regulus’ breath itched when Barty’s hands moved to his neck and pressed on his pulse points. Regulus’ ears buzzed, _it couldn’t end like that._ Not after everything he had done and everything he still had to do, for Sirius, for Harry, for himself. So Regulus acted on mere impulse, he pulled Barty’s hair and crashed their lips together. Hard and dry. Barty stilled beneath him before releasing the grasp on his neck, their mouths still clutched against each other; all teeth and tongues, bites and tugs. They couldn’t let go of each other no matter how easily their love turned in to hatred.

«You’re a fucking traitor» 

Barty repeated once he shoved Regulus away.

«They’ll take you to the Dementors, they’ll give you the kiss» 

Barty’s face quivered. It was no secret of how daunting the Dementors were and even standing near one of them was a horrid experience that drained one of every single sparkle of happiness, of life.

«I’ll die as an hero» 

«You’re not the hero, open your fucking eyes!» 

Barty shoved Regulus against the nearest wall, resentment flickered trough his face and blinded his eyes. Regulus didn’t know what happened to them; they used to be children, they laughed and chased each other whereas now they were pathetic ghosts of their fondest memories.

«You used to worship him, the Dark Lord, what happened?» 

Enlightenment. There was no better word to describe Regulus’ change.

«I started thinking with my own head»

Regulus let his gaze linger on Barty’s jawline. He still remembered every single angle of that infamous body. Regulus wanted to hate that man, he wanted to despise and erase him from his memory but in reality, he couldn’t. A part of him still loved him - will always love him - and he knew that part of him would have died him with him that night.

«They’re ready to take him» 

Regulus’ thoughts were cut off by Dumbledore, behind him stood the jailers in black robes. Barty straighten up - _bloody pureblood -_ and marched toward them. Proud as a hero.

«Barty wait! I need to know… I — did you ever?» 

_Did you ever loved me?_

«No» 

_Of course._

That was the last time Regulus heard of Barty Crouch Junior.


End file.
